


It’s a Deal

by Anonymous



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Anal Sex, Arguing, Blood, Body Image, Childbirth, Domestic Fluff, Erotic Lactation, Established Relationship, Exhaustion, Fluff, Food Issues, Labor and Delivery, Lactation Kink, Link in pain, M/M, Male Lactation, Medical Inaccuracies, Mpreg, Pregnancy Kink, Pregnant Sex, Self-Esteem Issues, Smut, Vomiting, Weight Issues, difficult birth, graphic birth, lots of struggling, rhink, unhealthy relationship dynamics
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-29
Updated: 2020-05-09
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:07:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23912062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Rhett is worried because Link is struggling to eat enough to support himself and the twins he’s very pregnant with, so he finds a way to help.WARNING: Please read the tags and mind the rating. Don’t read this fic if you don’t like the things listed above.***Now updated to be a collection of fics about this big family***
Relationships: Rhett McLaughlin/Link Neal
Comments: 12
Kudos: 60
Collections: Anonymous





	1. It’s a Deal

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kesha](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kesha/gifts).



> This is a gift for rhettandtwink over on tumblr. Thank you for all your encouragement and help!
> 
> Again, check the tags. This is a sweet but kinky fic. Please proceed with caution.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With seven kids and two more on the way, life isn’t always easy for Rhett and Link.

Rhett carried a breakfast tray into their bedroom where Link still slept. He smiled as he approached the bed. Link was curled up on his side with one hand resting on his swollen middle, his breath coming in soft snores. Rhett hated to wake him. Link never slept well when he was pregnant, especially as he neared his due date, but he needed to eat. Rhett was worried about him. Link had lost a few pounds over the past two weeks when he should have been gaining. He had such a sensitive stomach and as the twins grew, his appetite diminished. Rhett had been trying to feed him up, but so far it wasn’t working. This time, he brought a tray of Link’s favorite high calorie treats to tempt him.

He sat the tray down on Link’s nightstand and crawled back into bed, pleased when Link immediately stirred and snuggled into the new warmth, wrapping himself around Rhett. “Whatcha doing?” Link rasped, his voice dripping with sleep. “It’s awful early to get up.”

“Nah. The sun’s already up and it’s time for breakfast.” Rhett slid one hand around Link’s swollen body and rubbed his back down low where it always ached the worst. Link groaned and sighed, relaxing even more into Rhett’s arms as the pain eased. “Does that feel good to you, baby?” Rhett kissed the top of his husband’s head.

“Yeah. I swear they take turns trying to break my back at night.” Link almost purred when Rhett dug his fingers into an especially sore spot. “Oh, yes, right there. Harder. Oh gosh, Rhett.”

Rhett smiled at the sounds Link made as he worked him into putty. It was the least he could do to thank Link for carrying his children. They had seven already, and soon they would have nine. A very big, very happy family. This was Link’s first set of multiples and unfortunately it had been much harder on him than his other pregnancies, but he still swore it was worth it.

Rhett chuckled when Link closed his eyes, his face almost instantly relaxing back into the peaceful bliss of slumber. “Come on, Sleeping Beauty. Wake up. Your breakfast is gonna get cold if you don’t eat it.” He prodded Link’s back a little harder, just enough to make him open his eyes again.

“Stop.” Link frowned and blinked at Rhett. “Hey, what do you mean, Sleepy Beauty? More like sleeping planet. Have you seen the size of this thing lately?” Link asked as he stroked his bulging belly. It might have been a joke, but there was enough self-consciousness in his voice to make Rhett doubt it.

Link’s belly was enormous, to say the least. He was much bigger than he had ever been while pregnant before. His heavy, round belly and full breasts were so large that they almost looked fake on his overwise thin body. The skin on his abdomen had been stretched and strained past its limits as the twins grew rapidly inside of him, covering his delicate skin in angry red stretch marks and dark bruises from strong baby kicks. The twins were already big and they still had a few weeks left inside Link to grow. The fact that they were developing on schedule was the only thing that relieved Rhett’s worry about Link’s recent weight loss. It wasn’t affecting the babies in any way.

Rhett moved his hand to join Link’s on his middle. The babies shifted and kicked against his hand, immediately reacting to his familiar touch. “Definitely Sleeping Beauty. You’re so beautiful and sexy like this,” he promised.

“You only say that because you’re my husband and you have to,” Link grumbled. His mood changed like the wind lately, so it didn’t surprise Rhett to see his face pinch in annoyance.

“I mean it and you know it,” Rhett said. “Can’t take my eyes off of you. You’re the hottest pregnant person I’ve ever seen. Or just the hottest person ever. Is that better?” he tried.

“A little. If you really mean it.” Link pouted with his bottom lip out, his eyes now pleading for something else.

Rhett knew what it was. He cleared his voice and slid both of his hands up under Link’s loose sleep t-shirt. His skin was warm and tight. Rhett rubbed the mound of Link’s stomach as he began speaking, tracing Link’s stretch marks. “Of course I mean it, baby. You do things to me. You don’t even know what you do to me when you look like this, fresh and overripe like a sweet peach just waiting to be picked, so round and juicy in my palms. You drive me crazy. I’m so attracted to you. I want you like this all the time, so pregnant and pretty, ready to burst at any moment. You can’t even walk properly anymore and every time I see you waddle by, I want to grab you and pull you right into bed. Put two more babies in you and make you even bigger, make you mine all over again.”

Link squirmed under Rhett’s touch, his breath already coming in short pants. His hormones were wild lately too. “I’m already yours, Rhett. Always.”

“I like looking at you and knowing it was me who did this to you. Made you heavy with my babies, made you bloated and marked your skin forever with our shared love. You’re stunning, beautiful, everything. You don’t even know how much I want you right now. Want you all the time,” Rhett whispered. Link’s hips bucked slightly at his words, drawing a groan of pain from his lips because the movement hurt, but he continued to look at Rhett with soft bedroom eyes. “The sounds you make, Link. Gorgeous as the rest of you. I love you.”

“Love you too,” Link answered, and Rhett pulled him into a kiss, one hand drifting under the covers, down across and under Link’s heavy belly to find him already hardening. He stroked him through the sheets, pulling more moans from Link’s lips with each stroke. Link trembled as he tugged on Rhett’s hand, pulling it away from the junction of his thighs. “Want you in me. Now.”

“Anything you want, baby.” Rhett kissed Link again and moved across the bed to get behind him. It was the position that worked best for them now, when Link was too pregnant to breathe if he lied on his back and too uncomfortable for anything else. He pulled the sheet aside and tugged Link’s pajama pants down, revealing pale bare skin that made his heart race. “Can you shift over a little for me?”

“Sure. Hold on.” Link held his breath as he slowly adjusted his hips and shifted his weight, better presenting himself for Rhett. A whimper of pain escaped his lips as he settled into his new position. “God, my back hurts so much.”

“I’m sorry.” Rhett pressed his hands to Link’s back where he knew it hurt. His muscles were tight and knotted under his fingers and the massage didn’t seem to help.

“Are the kids up?” Link asked after a minute. “We really need to make this quick.”

“Only Charlie and Brittany, but they’re playing video games and you know they'll never stop without one of us practically pulling them away from the t.v.. The littles are still asleep. I can see them on the monitor right now.” Rhett nodded as he looked at the monitor on his nightstand where their youngest three children slept solidly. He would have to wake them and bring the youngest two to Link to feed after he finished eating, but for right now, they had a little personal time for themselves. Their oldest two, Will and Jeremy, had stayed over at their cousin’s house and wouldn’t get home until the afternoon.

“Good. Because I need this bad.” Link sighed when Rhett kept rubbing his back. “Can you rub my back later, Rhett? It feels good, but just thinking about you in me is going to make me come before we get a chance to actually do anything.”

Rhett laughed, but it was probably true. He barely even had to touch Link anymore to get him there. Rhett got the lube from his nightstand and smeared it on Link’s hole. He slipped off his pajamas, spread lube on his cock, and settled back in bed against Link, framing his husband’s smaller body with his own. He guided Link’s leg up and over his thigh, stroking Link’s skin, before he lined himself up and sank into Link’s waiting and ready hole. He knew Link wouldn’t last if he tried to slip a finger in first.

“Ohhh, yes,” Link trilled as Rhett filled him to the brim. “Feels so good. Wanted this for so long. Oh, Rhett. Yes.”

“Earlier didn’t count?” Rhett teased. They’d already gone at it once at three in the morning when Link had needed to pee and feed the youngest. After, his hormones had flared up and he had made it clear what he wanted. Rhett was always happy to please, but Link was practically insatiable.

“Never enough,” Link gasped. Both of his hands supported his heavy belly as Rhett thrust into him. “Oh, my back. Ow. Ow. Ow. My back. Oh my God, yes. Right there. Harder, Rhett. Don’t stop. Ow. Harder. Ow. Ah. Ah.”

Rhett found a rhythm, doing all of the work, pushing in until he bottomed out and then pulling all the way out before slamming back in roughly. Link made sounds of pain and pleasure that spurred him on, made his hips buck faster and faster, jostling Link’s belly with each movement. Until finally Link came with a loud cry, come spurting out over the bottom of his belly. A few more thrusts and Rhett came inside of him, both of them panting for breath.

Rhett regained his composure first. He slipped out and closed his eyes, cuddling up against Link. “Was that good for you, baby?” he asked, kissing Link’s shoulder.

Link was still panting, sweat dripping down his skin as his compressed lungs burned and struggled to bring in enough air with the babies taking up so much room inside of him. He looked as beautiful as ever like that, even spent and exhausted. “Real good. But look, now I’m leaking.” He pressed his hands against his breasts as if that could stop the trickle of milk that was quickly becoming a flow. It was a common occurrence these days. With Link both pregnant and still breastfeeding, he was making milk in overdrive. Anything could set him off leaking.

“I’ve got it.” Rhett luxuriated in moving across the bed, facing Link and wrapping an arm around his swollen middle. He took one of Link’s full boobs into his mouth, suckling gently. Link’s milk was warm and sweet, just like Link, and it was no chore for Rhett to take care of the little leaks and spills. Link had more than enough milk to go around, after all.

“Wanna get cleaned up and bring me Anna and Mary to feed?” Link asked, but he made no move to push Rhett away. Instead, he wrapped his fingers in Rhett’s hair at the nape of his neck, holding him in place against his chest. A soft sigh of happiness and relief slipped from his lips as some of the pressure in his full breast eased with each suck.

Rhett released Link’s nipple with a soft pop. “After you eat. I almost forgot for a minute there.” Rhett stood and went to get the tray. The food would be cold, but hopefully it would still taste good. He was stopped by Link grabbing his wrist. “What?”

“Wait. You forgot this side,” Link said with a smirk on his lips. He gestured to his other breast where round pearls of milk dripped from his swollen neglected nipple.

Rhett couldn’t resist the temptation or Link’s begging blue eyes. He knelt and suckled there too for a moment before licking the skin clean? Link broke out in soft giggles. Rhett pulled away again. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing. I just love you, is all.” Link’s cheeks were pink. “And it tickles.”

“Love you more,” Rhett whispered with a laugh. He blew a raspberry on Link’s chest, and then another and another on his round belly, followed by soft kisses, until Link’s breath came in gasps of laughter. “Enough, baby,” he finally said, with one last smooch right below Link’s popped belly button. He stood and slipped his pajama pants back on before he pulled the covers up, making sure to cover Link’s half-naked body just in case. “Time to eat.”

“I’m not hungry. I just want to get clean. I’m all wet and sticky and I really have to pee,” Link whined.

He sounded pouty again, but Rhett didn’t turn to look. “You’ve got to eat, baby. I want you and the twins to be safe and strong. I know you don’t feel like it, but please?” He picked up the tray and sat it on the bed beside Link before crawling back in. He rested his hands on Link’s belly, where the twins moved lazily in response to his touch. “For them if not for me?”

“I know I need to eat, but it’s hard. I’m so full and I have killer heartburn, but I’ll try my best,” Link agreed. “For them. And you.”

Rhett nodded. “Look, I made you a peanut butter shake. Let’s start there.” He had put lots of peanut butter in it to cover up the taste of the vegetables and the high-calorie protein mix. “Drink up.”

Link resisted, but Rhett got him to drink about half of the shake. He followed it up with a scrambled egg, a chocolate cookie, two strips of bacon, a few bites of dry cereal and some grapes, until Link looked positively green in the face and balked at the thought of even one more bite. It was the most he had eaten at one time in weeks, and Rhett glowed with pride.

“There you go, just like that. Good job. I’m proud of you. Now I know what I’ve got to do to get you to eat,” he teased, as he watched Link rub his overstuffed belly. “Nothing like a little sex to get your appetite going, huh? Maybe we can make a habit of this.”

“I like the sound of that,” Link said, as he continued to rub his aching middle. Rhett trailed his fingers across Link’s belly too, hoping to help ease his discomfort. “God, I’m so full. I hope I don’t throw up.” 

“You won’t. Just relax and breathe,” Rhett encouraged as he continued to rub Link’s belly. “Think about something else.”

It was a while before Link felt like moving again, but he finally gave in to the pressure in his bladder and let Rhett help him up before he wet the bed. After a quick pee and a shower, they were ready to start the day. Rhett supported Link as he waddled out into the living room and sat on the couch, using pillows to help support the heavy weight and size of his belly. He couldn’t get around much on his own anymore, but that was okay. Rhett had hired a nanny to help with the kids, and she was happy to help Link when he needed it too, so he wasn’t worried. She arrived around the same time Rhett left for work.

Rhett went to check on their youngest, surprised to find them still asleep. They were easy to wake, and he let Lewis go play video games with Charlie and Brittany while Link nursed Anna and Mary on the couch. Rhett also fixed breakfast for himself and the kids before work. It was just another day in their life, but it was a life they both loved.

When he sat down beside Link again after everyone else was done eating, he knew it was going to be a good day. “I guess I’d better get ready for work,” he said, giving Link a kiss. “Promise me you’ll have some lunch while I’m gone, baby.”

“I will,” Link promised. He lowered his voice. “But how about round two before dinner? Just to encourage me?” He batted his long eyelashes at Rhett.

“Round three, you mean,” Rhett laughed. He gave Link’s big belly a pat. “Deal. I’ll see you three later. Don’t let your water break while I’m gone.”

“I’ll try not to, but no promises,” Link said, rolling his eyes. Rhett always said that to him before he left for work because he had a bad habit of going into labor at the worst times, like while Rhett was busy leading an important meeting at his company. They still had a few weeks before they should have to worry about that happening, but Rhett liked to be on the safe side so he said it anyway.

Rhett checked his hair and got his briefcase, taking one last look at his husband before he slipped out the door. Link looked happy and bright, surrounded by their children, right where he was meant to be. Soon, their family would grow again, but for now, Link was happy and pregnant, and Rhett loved every inch of him.


	2. Under the Surface

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rhett and Link get in an argument.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to write more. Thank you to everyone who has left kudos and comments here or sent anons over on tumblr! They are all appreciated and I’m pleased that other people are on board while I explore some less common kinks.
> 
> These fics are all going to be self-contained oneshots about Rhett and Link and their big family, but they might jump back and forth in time. This one takes place about a month after the first chapter. 
> 
> WARNING: Please check the new tags and read with caution. Please be aware that the relationship dynamics become more clear in this one-shot. I chose to tag it as unhealthy relationship dynamics to make it easier for people to avoid if they don’t like it, but it’s basically Link in the role of a traditional housewife and Rhett as his husband who cares but is a bit dense sometimes, plus additional weirdness about pregnancy. This one was written just for rhettandtwink and an anon who both wanted to see them fight. I hope this is what you were hoping for!

“Can you at least try to stay awake?” Rhett snapped. He crossed his arms, looking tall and intimidating in his perfectly tailored suit. “You might not care, but this is really important to me. If I don’t get it right, my boss might not give me that promotion.”

“M’ sorry. M’ trying,” Link slurred from his seat on the couch. His back and hips ached and throbbed. His head felt like it weighed a thousand pounds and he couldn’t focus on anything Rhett was saying. His eyes felt gritty and his tongue was too thick for his mouth. He blinked and tried to focus on Rhett, but his eyelids were so heavy.

Rhett cleared his throat. “Anyway, let me take it from the top again. Or, actually, maybe I should change clothes. I was thinking maybe I should wear my blue suit instead. I need to look professional. The regional manager will be there too. What do you think? Black or blue?” There was a pause. “Link?”

Link lifted his head and looked at Rhett through blurry eyes. “Huh?”

“Oh, you really don’t give a shit do you?” Rhett snapped suddenly, jolting Link wide awake. “You don’t know how hard it is to support this family. I work my ass off so you can sit at home every day doing nothing, and you don’t even respect me enough to listen to me talk for five minutes.”

“Respect you? You don’t respect me,” Link yelled back desperately. He felt sick, the sound of his own heart pounding in his ears. If Rhett respected him, he would have let him go to bed instead of keeping him up late to practice his speech.

Rhett narrowed his eyes. “Respect you?”

“Yes! You think taking care of nine kids is easy? Yeah, you work all day, but at least you get breaks and you get to relax when you get home. I never get a break! I have to work from the time I wake up until the time I go to sleep, and then I have to wake up every few hours to feed babies in the middle of the night.” Link felt furious and helpless as tears poured from his burning eyes. He was trying his best. Why couldn’t Rhett see that? This fight had been bubbling under the surface for a while and it looked like it was finally time to confront it head on.

Rhett scoffed. “That’s not so hard.”

“Really? It’s not hard, Rhett? Then why the hell don’t you stay home with them while I go to work?” Link demanded. “You can do all the cooking and cleaning and take care of the kids. Why don’t we try that for a while and see how you feel about it then?”

“No. It’s what you wanted, remember? You thought it would be nice to stay home with the kids.” Rhett took a step away. “You’re the one who suggested it.”

“I know, but…” Link broke into sobs. “I’m so fucking tired all the time, Rhett. Every minute, they need me for something. I never get ten minutes to myself. This is the first chance I’ve had to sit down all day and now you’re yelling at me. I was trying to listen. I’m just tired.” Link buried his face in his hands. “I hardly ever get to see you anymore because you’re always so busy working. Then when you finally do get home, you run off to the gym before I can even say hello and get your dinner ready for you.”

“Link-“

Link shook his head. “I don’t even feel like a real person anymore. I feel like some kind of animal. Like a brood mare or something. All I do is get pregnant, give birth, change diapers, cook, clean, and act like a freaking cow to anyone who wants a sip from my udders.” He looked down at his chest where there were two big round wet spots forming, soaking through his bra and shirt, evidence of his latest round of past-due nightly baby feedings. His breasts were itchy, raw and sore, overly full with milk, and the relief of nursing didn’t last long enough anymore to give him much of a break. His body ached bone deep all over from having the twins two weeks ago, and to top it all off, their nanny had quit before he had even come home from the hospital. She had worked for them for over a year before suddenly she was just gone. Having nine kids all on his own all day was anything but easy.

Rhett sighed and sat down beside Link, his shoulders slumping. “I wasn’t thinking.” He took Link’s face in his big, gentle hands. He wiped away Link’s tears with his thumbs and stroked his cheeks. “Please forgive me. I’m sorry, baby. I was being stupid. I’ve been under a lot of stress lately, but so have you. I’m an idiot for not realizing how hard this has been for you sooner.”

Link wanted to stay angry, but it was impossible for him to hold a grudge against Rhett. He leaned in to his husband’s comforting touch and breathed for a moment, letting himself calm down. “I’m sorry too. I’m just tired. The twins are so much harder than the others were.” Instead of double the work of caring for a new baby, he felt like he was doing at least quadruple.

“Shh, you don’t need to be sorry. We really need to make some changes around here, don’t we?” Rhett wiped away the tears that continued to leak from Link’s eyes. “We can hire another nanny. You know I have to work to support us and go to the gym for my back, but I’ll make more time for you. How about we set up a date night just for us every week? We can go somewhere special or just stay in for popcorn and a movie. Does that sound good?”

“What about my back?” Link challenged. Between his heavy boobs and the significant amount of weight that he had gained around his middle from essentially being pregnant for eight years straight, his back was almost as bad as Rhett’s and his hips were pretty messed up too. Going to the gym wasn’t an option for him because he wasn’t supposed to lift anything more than ten pounds, and he would probably be pregnant again by the time all of the restrictions on his activities were lifted. Besides, he didn’t have the time or energy to work out anyway.

“Nightly massages? I’ve been told I have good hands for them,” Rhett said. He pushed some of Link’s hair out of his eyes and kissed his forehead. “We’ll figure it out. I promise. I’m just glad you told me how you were really feeling.”

“You really thought everything was fine?” Link asked, shaking his head.

“Well, I knew you were tired, but I thought it would pass. You’ve always been so happy when you have a new baby in the past.” Rhett sighed. “Look, this is still all up to you, right? Whatever you want to do, we’ll find a way to make it work. I don’t want you to feel like a brood mare or a cow. I want you to feel like my partner who I love and respect, because I do. Okay?”

“What if I say I’m done having babies?” Link asked, his voice small and uncertain. They had decided before they even got married that they both wanted a big family as long as they could support them, and they had allowed nature to freely take its course from there. They hadn’t even talked about the possibility of stopping ever since Rhett had gotten his big fancy job at the bank.

“Then we’re done having babies,” Rhett said, no hesitation.

“But do you want to be done?” Link asked.

“All I know is that you’re my whole life and I want you to be happy,” Rhett said. “Having kids wasn’t supposed to make you miserable or make you feel like an animal. If you want to stop, we’ll stop. If you want to go to college or get a job, it’s okay with me. Whatever you need to do make your life better and how you want it. Do you want to stop?”

Link had never really considered it before but he thought about it now. He imagined the decades stretching out in front of them, endless years together. He could work to lose the weight and get back in shape, get a job working with Rhett and make his own money. His breasts would dry up and eventually almost disappear, going back to the flat nipples he’d had before his first baby. He would always have his stretch marks and loose skin, but at least he would feel better about himself and look better for Rhett. Their kids would go to school. They could take vacations and he could actually participate in all of the activities instead of staying at the hotel or sitting and waiting on the sidelines because he was too pregnant for roller coasters, surfing, rock climbing, ice skating, or whatever their latest adventure was. They could even afford to take better, longer vacations if they both worked.

He was shaking his head before he found the right words. “No. No, I’m not done having babies.” No job or vacation could ever be as fulfilling for him as having Rhett’s babies. He loved being pregnant so much that sometimes he wondered if he could possibly be addicted to it. He loved his body most of the time, belly, boobs and all. The aches, pains and extra pounds were worth it. Life was just so much harder right now because of the twins. Eventually things would settle down again, he would catch up on his sleep, the other changes Rhett promised to make would help, and everything would be okay. They had more than enough money to support more kids. He moved without thinking, crawling into Rhett’s lap. “I’m so not done,” he said and wrapped his legs around Rhett. Rhett put his arms around Link’s waist and pulled him closer. “Wanna be pregnant again as soon as possible.”

“Good,” Rhett said. He kissed Link long and hard. “I’m glad to hear you say that. I was afraid you were going to say you were only having babies because I want you too.”

“I want to, too. I love being pregnant. It feels weird when I’m not,” Link whispered. “We might have to stop eventually, but I’m not ready for that yet.”

“Four more weeks until we can try again.”

“Four more weeks,” Link confirmed.The cycle was going to start again and somehow that was reassuring to him. “So, what was that you were just saying about a back massage?”

“Coming right up,” Rhett said. “And then it’s bedtime for you, baby.”

Link nestled against Rhett’s chest and rested his head on his shoulder so he could reach his back better. Rhett squeezed his shoulders and started rubbing when a cry reached their ears. One of the twins had woken up and wasn’t very happy about it. A second cry started up two seconds later, joining the first in a chorus of cries. Link groaned when he felt himself start leaking more at the sound. He struggled to get up from Rhett’s lap. Rhett gave him a little push to help him up. “Sorry. I’ll be right back,” Link said.

“Wait. I’ll go see what the twins need and check on everyone else. I can give them bottles tonight. Daddy’s on the job tonight and you get to sleep,” Rhett said as he stood.

“No, it’s okay. Just give me a minute and I’ll help you with your speech. I know it’s important and I want you to know that it’s important to me too.”

Rhett shook his head. “I’m sure my speech is good enough. Go take care of yourself, lie down and get ready for the best back massage of your life. Money back guarantee.”

“Thank you,” Link said, smiling. As he watched Rhett strut down the hallway in full-on dad mode despite his expensive suit, he knew for sure that things would get better. He put a hand on his soft flabby stomach, knowing that soon enough it would grow firm and swell up once again, and walked to the bedroom to get ready for his massage. He felt immensely better after pumping his milk, taking a shower and changing into dry clothes, and when Rhett appeared a few minutes later, he just about melted into his loving touch.


	3. A Little Early

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link goes into labor in the middle of the night and decides to have his tenth child on his own while Rhett sleeps. He has lots of experience with giving birth. What could possibly go wrong?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, please check the new tags and proceed with caution. I tagged vomiting to be on the safe side, but it’s really only some gagging and nausea. There is also a brief scare with the baby which I couldn’t find a good tag for. This is not meant to be an accurate depiction of labor and delivery. Be aware that medical inaccuracies abound.
> 
> Note: The next chapter will most likely be set in the past. I know we’re bouncing around a lot here with the twins just being born and now baby 10.

It was late but Link couldn’t sleep. He had been struggling to sleep for the last six weeks anyway with as pregnant as he was, but it was downright impossible to sleep with the Braxton Hicks contractions that he had been having for the past two days. He rolled from one side to the other, grunting with the discomfort and effort of moving his body. Rhett murmured something under his breath but didn’t stir, which was unusual for the famously light sleeper. He was exhausted from being up with Link half the night before, and his long day of work meetings had completely wiped him out. Link bit his bottom lip, vowing to be quiet and not wake him up. He could deal with being uncomfortable on his own tonight. Another false contraction built up near his belly button and he rested a hand there, trying to soothe his aching muscles as he breathed through the cramp. The baby wasn’t due for three more weeks, so it wasn’t anything to worry about. He always gave birth after his official due date, whether by just one day or by almost four weeks. Never before. He had nine kids already and he trusted that his body’s natural rhythm would stay in sync. He just wanted to get some sleep, but it seemed that was too much to ask for.

Around eleven, Link gave in to the uncomfortable fullness of his bladder. Even getting out of bed was work for him now and he struggled to sit up with his big belly in the way. A sharp pain ran down his back when he heaved himself out of bed. He took a deep breath and slowly waddled to the bathroom down the hall. His body felt impossibly heavy and walking had been a struggle for a few weeks with his achy hips, but now there was a new deep aching pressure low in his pelvis that made walking even more awkward and uncomfortable. He shifted his hips, trying to relieve the ache, but it only made it worse. He stopped to check in on the kids along the way down the hall, pleased to find that that only Jeremy was still awake. He was reading in bed, which Link wouldn’t mind except that it was so late. Link gave him a hug and kiss and reminded him that he needed to get some sleep, before he continued his trek to the bathroom. His legs and feet were killing him by the time he made it.

He sighed and squinted at his reflection in the mirror behind the sink. His vision was hopelessly blurry without his glasses, but he could see enough to tell that his eyes were rimmed by dark circles and his face looked pale and tired in the artificial light. He looked just as exhausted as he felt. The baby moved for the first time in a while and made him jump. He chuckled and rubbed a hand across his bulging middle. “Oh, did I wake you? I’m sorry. You’re right there, aren’t you, baby?” he asked. The baby stretched in response to the pressure, his little feet kicking Link in the kidneys and making him wince. His maternity shirt was pulled tight across the wide expanse of his middle, revealing his popped belly button and a strip of skin to the world. He didn’t have anything else to wear because he had been putting off doing the laundry. He would have to tackle it tomorrow even if he still didn’t feel up to it. He was almost as big as he had been when he’d had the twins, so all of his clothes were snug except for the few essentials he’d bought to make it through the last few weeks of that pregnancy. His size scared him a little bit because this time there was only one baby, but he kept telling himself he only looked so big because he had put on a few more extra pounds. Rhett liked to indulge his cravings, often bringing treats home after work, and Link’s appetite had actually been present during this pregnancy so far, unlike when he’d had the twins.

The pressure in his pelvis intensified when he carefully lowered himself down onto the toilet. The change in position made him feel lightheaded and nauseous, and he suddenly felt like the baby would come tumbling out if he so much as coughed. He broke out in a cold sweat when another false contraction tightened his muscles. He panted through the contraction, waiting until the nausea and pain eased enough so that he could release his throbbing bladder. His skin felt too tight all over and he whined pathetically as yet another false contraction started before he could even finish peeing.

He stood and was struggling to pull his pants up when a gush of warm liquid pooled between his legs. “What?” he gasped and sat back down on the toilet heavily. Heat rushed to his cheeks. He’d peed himself and it was running down his legs. The false contraction must have made him think his bladder was empty when it wasn’t. He grabbed a big wad of toilet paper and stretched to dry between his damp thighs, but his fingertips couldn't quite reach with his swollen belly in the way. Rhett usually helped him with his hygiene when he inevitably reached the point of being too pregnant to reach some places on his own body, but he couldn’t wake him just for this. He sighed and gave up, dropping the paper into the toilet. He left his soaked pajama pants and underwear on the floor and washed his hands, counting the seconds in his mind. He grabbed a towel to cover himself up as he waddled back to bed, feeling damp and cold between his thighs. He decided that he would sleep on the towel and wash the sheets in the morning along with the rest of the laundry.

Time seemed to pass in slow motion as Link tossed and turned through the false contractions and the now constant burning ache in his pelvis. He would fall asleep only to wake minutes later by a cramp and then drift off again for a few minutes until another one started. Something compelled him to watch the clock when a series of stronger contractions hit, and that’s when he realized they were coming at regular intervals. Suddenly, it hit him. The liquid hadn’t been pee. It had been his water breaking. They weren’t Braxton Hicks contractions. They were the real thing! He was actually in labor. But it was too early. Could that really be right?

Panic brought tears to his eyes as he wiggled around and heaved himself into a sitting position once again, legs spread wide, feeling dizzy and out of sorts as he braced himself upright. It was too early. He never went into labor before his due date. “Rhett,” he hissed, looking down at his sleeping husband. “Wake up. I think it’s time.”

Rhett rolled over away from the sound of Link’s voice, curling tightly around his pillow. He snored once, loudly.

Link wiped away his tears and bit his tongue to stop himself from crying out again. Rhett desperately needed to catch up on his sleep. Link’s obstetrician had told him that he could go anytime now, so it really wasn’t too early and the baby was fully developed, but it still felt wrong. He picked up his phone from his nightstand and fiddled with it, unlocking it and then locking it again. Should he call for an ambulance? Probably not. It would still be hours until the baby was born and it would wake Rhett and their kids. He could call his mom to drive him. She was already on baby-watch duty anyway, prepared for a call to come watch the kids while Rhett and Link went to the hospital. But what if Rhett felt betrayed by Link not waking him? He never even left the hospital room while Link was in labor, choosing to let the nurses pass along info to their family instead.

Maybe he could do it on his own. He wasn’t a first timer to giving birth by any means. He had given birth to their twins in a bathtub at the hospital just under a year ago, so maybe everything would be okay if he did it himself at home this time. They didn’t have a nice deep bathtub or a choice of pain control options like the hospital did, but that was okay. That way, Rhett could catch up on his sleep instead of being up all night at the hospital and growing even more tired. A sense of determination settled over Link as he made up his mind to do this all on his own.

He breathed deeply as another contraction hit, counting the seconds until it eased. When he was able to stand again, he waddled back to the bathroom on aching feet to collect some supplies. He got everything set up in the guest room at the end of the hall, proud of himself for thinking ahead. He covered the bed with old sheets and towels to protect it from blood and fluids. He put a notebook next to the clock on his nightstand so he could keep a record and time his contractions, along with a big bottle of water, a bucket because he often got sick during labor, and a pair of special scissors for the umbilical cord. A diaper, blanket and a nose suction bulb for the baby completed his supplies. It would be a long time still, but he felt oddly calm and confident as he lay down in bed and prepared to ride out the early stages of labor. He was really going to do this all on his own.

He managed to doze on and off for a while longer, but by the wee hours of the morning, his contractions grew more intense and he could no longer rest between them, his muscles cramping and then relaxing in waves. He panted as quietly as he could through each contraction, hoping that Rhett wouldn’t wake up and find him like this. He had never tried to stifle the urge to be loud during labor before, but he was doing it now. He was just about as used to labor as anyone could be. He’d had a baby a year ever since he and Rhett had gotten married after all, and last year there had been two. He loved being pregnant and building his family. He wanted to have as many children as he and Rhett could handle. This was part of it. He could do this. His body was made for it.

He squeezed his eyes shut when a sharp pain tore through his pelvis and lower back, making him tremble and moan out loud. He felt sick and grabbed the bucket, gagging, but nothing came up. He lay on his side, his belly rock hard as another contraction hit immediately. He bit his tongue to keep from crying out again. He wanted to scream, but all he allowed to pass his lips was a soft whimper. It hurt so much. Finally, the contraction eased and he lay panting for breath. The baby kicked hard, letting Link know that he wasn’t exactly happy about what was going on either.

Link had barely caught his breath when the strongest contraction yet hit. He rolled over onto his back, writhing in pain. He couldn’t breathe with the weight of his belly on top of him like that, so he scrambled to roll back over onto his side as he cried through another contraction, his hands gripping the extra sheets underneath his body. He wished Rhett was there to hold him and massage his burning hips. He moved again, trying to find a position that would ease the strain on his hips and back and make this a little easier, but it was impossible. Sweat dripped from his forehead, poured down his chest and arms and he labored. Hours passed while he rode out the endless contractions as his body slowly opened from the inside out.

When the urge to push hit him as strong as a freight train, he gave into it, pushing as hard as he could. He was too uncomfortable on his side. It felt like the baby was jabbing him in the ribs, so he braced himself on his hands and knees for the next push instead, his belly so big with the baby that it brushed against the bed underneath him. He pushed with all his might and rocked himself back and forth between contractions, finding some comfort in the repetitive motion, but his knees ached and his hips were on fire. He pushed as hard as he could with each contraction, silently reminding himself not to hold his breath. He had made that mistake before and had ended up with broken blood vessels in his eyes that had lingered for weeks.

After what felt like forever, he felt something shift inside of him as the baby slowly descended into his birth canal. It felt like he was being ripped in half. He pushed and pushed, sweat dripping from his skin and tears pouring from his eyes, until he grew too tired to push and hold himself up anymore. He felt the baby slip back up inside of him as he lowered himself down onto his side with shaking arms. He groaned in frustration. He would never get the baby out if he was too weak to push. He rested through a few contractions, lightheaded and dizzy, and then pushed with the next one, curling his toes with the effort. He trembled all over, his teeth chattering as he pushed and strained. It felt like the baby’s head was right there, almost out, but it slipped back up inside of him every time he relaxed for even a second. He pushed as hard as he could, until he really thought he was going to rip in half, but nothing happened. The baby was stuck, slipping down a few centimeters when he pushed and right back up when he stopped.

His heart raced as he pushed and pushed again, but he was growing weaker by the second. He cried desperately, sweat, tears and snot making his face a mess. This labor was much more difficult than his water birth and all of the others before it, and he didn’t know why. He rubbed his belly, feeling how big and heavy it was. His pelvis was so narrow, tiny even. His obstetrician always warned him that he might need a c-section next time after each successful birth, even after he had successfully delivered nine babies. Maybe this time he really did need one. Maybe he couldn’t do it on his own after all. He was too small, too weak, too tired and out of shape to bring this baby into the world. He cried helplessly as terror set in for the first time since he had decided to give birth on his own, and he sobbed through at least a dozen contractions, the urge to push gone like it had never even been there.

He began talking to the baby inside his mind, begging him to come out and see the world, meet him and his daddy. He cried as he begged the baby to come out and give him relief from the violent contractions that made him hurt so badly. If Rhett came in and found him like this, half-naked and bleeding in the guest room, trembling and covered in tears and sweat, he would think Link was pathetic. He would force Link’s tired, aching body into an ambulance and take him to be cut open by surgeons, the baby forcibly removed from his womb. Link didn't want that to happen. He just wanted to make Rhett proud of him. That’s all he ever wanted. He had to do this no matter what. He pushed weakly again with the next contraction, stopping immediately when a new sharp pain blossomed in between his legs and spread across his lower back and hips. Blood and fluid gushed from him and he closed his eyes before he passed out at the sight of it. His stomach heaved as he panted through contractions until he had enough strength to push again. He pushed long and hard, until he finally, finally felt the baby’s head slip down again and then it slid right back up when he relaxed. “No. Oh, please,” Link begged. “Please come out, baby. Please come out. I can’t take this anymore. You’re hurting me. Please come out, baby. Please.” 

He struggled to get up out of bed and squatted on the floor, following a primal instinct that told him it would help somehow. Squatting was awkward with his big belly in the way, and his knees and hips burned even though he held onto the bed for balance, but he felt like his pushes were stronger like this, with gravity on his side. He couldn’t hold the position for very long before the burning in his knees, hips and between his legs was too much. He pushed twice more before his legs almost gave out and he had to stumble back up onto the bed before he fell, crying in earnest as he felt the baby slip back up again. He was a failure. He couldn’t do this. He needed to wake Rhett and go to the hospital.

He rested until he could stand again and wrapped a towel around his lower body, tied underneath his heavy belly. He slowly waddled to the doorway with his legs spread wide, ready to go to Rhett, when an even more intense contraction hit. It was like nothing he had ever felt before. Link gripped the doorknob and cried as he rode it out but the contraction never stopped. He felt like he was being split open. His stomach lurched and he gagged again, feeling like he was trapped in a vice. He screamed as loud as he could, all desire to be strong and quiet gone. “Help! Oh, please! Help me!”

The sounds of crying and doors flying open along the hall brought no relief to Link. He stumbled forward, needing to get to Rhett more than he’d ever needed anything in his life.

“Dada? Are you okay?” Lewis asked from his bedroom doorway, his eyes wide. Link blinked. Suddenly more of his kids were in the hallway around him, asking him questions that he couldn’t make out over the sound of his heart beating in his ears. Some of them were crying. He was thankful he’d thought to wrap the towel around himself but he knew he still had to look scary.

Link’s teeth chattered too hard to answer. He felt like the world was far away and all he knew was the darkness and pain of the contraction. He blinked and then everything went black.

He woke to find himself beside Rhett in their bed. Rhett was talking to someone on the phone. Link moaned when he felt another contraction start and Rhett hung up the phone and was right there, holding his hand. “Link, what’s going on?”

“Thought I could do it on my own,” Link managed to say when the contraction finally eased. “Didn’t want to wake you.” He was done being quiet and grunted loudly as his body contracted again and he felt himself try to push without really meaning to. “Baby’s stuck. Oh, ohhh,” he cried as the contraction reached its peak. “Think I’m gonna die.”

“You’re not going to die, Link. Just try to stay calm. Your mom is coming over to watch the kids and an ambulance is already on the way.” Rhett moved even closer, wrapping Link in his arms and hugging him. He rubbed Link’s contracting belly like he was trying to soothe both Link and the baby inside of him. “You’re going to be okay. Just breathe.”

But he sounded terrified, more scared than Link had ever heard him sound before. He wanted to comfort him, but he was in too much pain to do anything but moan and cry. He felt weak and foolish in front of Rhett, and new tears welled in his eyes because he was so humiliated. How could he have been so stupid to think he could do it on his own? He had let Rhett down.

He closed his eyes and tried to focus on controlling his breathing, but he couldn’t stop sobbing. Rhett’s arms around him and his hand rubbing circles on his skin made him feel a little bit better, but his body was still doing its best to push without him. He tried to resist, but it was impossible when the urge hit him. He made no progress with his weak pushes, but each one drained his energy just a little bit more.

His mom got there before the ambulance. She sat beside Link on the bed, stroked his sweaty hair and rubbed his lower back and hips for a while, murmuring soft words to help calm him, before going out to keep the kids occupied. It was already daylight outside and they were surely all awake, hungry and worried about their Dada by now. Rhett had told the older kids to stay out of their parent’s room and watch the littles until Link’s mom got there. “When is the ambulance going to get here?” she asked Rhett before she left the room, but he could only shake his head in response.

A few minutes after his mom left the room, Link’s body was gripped by another strong, endless contraction. He squeezed Rhett’s hand hard. “Oh my God. I have to push. I have to push, Rhett. Oh, it feels like I’m on fire.”

“Wait, try not to push. Can I take a look?” Rhett asked.

Link nodded and panted but it was hard to resist his instincts. He had given birth to nine babies. Rhett had watched him do it. Maybe he could tell if something was wrong down there. He let go of Rhett’s hand and gripped the sheets instead. He spread his legs as wide as he could and cried out at the sharp pain that came with the movement, like he was being split open from front to back.

Rhett looked and gently touched. “Oh, the baby’s right there. There’s some extra tissue, I think… Maybe if I press right here and move it out of the way? I think it might help. Is that okay?” Link nodded, desperate for anything that might bring him some relief from his pain. Rhett inserted two fingers and pressed firmly, stretching and massaging the tissue that was in the way. The sensation made Link nauseous and he swallowed a thick mouthful of saliva. “Go ahead and push again when you can,” Rhett said.

Link pushed immediately, unable to hold back for even another second. He screamed as loud as he could and pushed with everything he had left in him. The baby slid down and then right back up. It was hopeless. “Can’t do it,” he said.

“No, no. Keep pushing. You’re making progress.” Rhett massaged him inside some more. “Come on, Link. Push.”

He trusted Rhett more than anything, so he pushed again and again, screaming and crying at the top of his lungs until he was completely exhausted and unable to push anymore. The baby still had not moved. “Can’t.”

“Link, look at me,” Rhett said. Link closed his eyes for a long moment. He knew what Rhett was going to say, but he opened his eyes and looked at Rhett anyway. “You can do this. I know you can. Don’t give up now. I put my baby inside of you, and you grew him big and strong for me, and now it’s up to you to get him out. Come on, Link. Push my baby out. Let me see my baby.”

Link gasped for breath as another contraction hit, but he was still too tired to push. He tried with the next contraction, but his pushes were growing weaker and weaker. He sobbed and clawed at the sheets.

“Come on, Link. I want to see my baby. Push.”

“No, I can’t! I can’t do it!” Link screamed.

“Yes you can. Push and give me my baby. Push, Link.”

“No,” Link said but he tried anyway, pushing hard and long, bearing down as hard as he could. Rhett slipped his hand up inside of Link farther and Link screamed in pain, but he kept pushing hard, and with Rhett’s help, the baby finally slid down. When he relaxed and Rhett removed his hand, the baby stayed still instead of slipping back up. He looked at Rhett with renewed determination to deliver the baby. A dozen more weak pushes and the baby finally slid free of Link’s body and into Rhett’s waiting hands. Link threw his head back onto his pillow and cried, shaking with sheer relief. He had actually done it. Rhett’s baby was finally here.

It took him a second to realize that the room was deathly quiet. He opened his eyes and looked at Rhett and the baby. Rhett’s face was eerily blank as he wiped the baby clean with a towel. “He’s not breathing,” he said, his voice hard.

“What?” Link sobbed again, reaching desperately for the baby. He had been moving inside of him just a few minutes ago. This couldn’t happen. He had to be okay. But Rhett wouldn’t hand him over. He used the suction bulb to clean the baby’s airways and then gave the baby a gentle slap. Link had never been more relieved when he heard a tiny, weak cry. He pulled off his shirt and held out his arms. “Give him here,” he insisted. Rhett passed him over and Link held him to his bare skin, knowing from his hospital births that it would help. The baby cried for a few minutes and then quieted, dozing off against Link’s breast. He continued breathing evenly, and for the first time, Link looked at Rhett and smiled. “We have another baby,” he said, and laughed because they had done it.

The ambulance arrived five minutes later, the EMTs citing a faulty GPS and traffic. They were terribly sorry, but Rhett still chewed them out. Link was just happy to have professionals to help him with delivering the afterbirth and cutting the cord. They took him and the baby to the hospital to check them over and luckily they were both fine. The baby weighed almost eleven pounds, their biggest baby yet by far. Who knew how big he would have been if he had made it to his due date? It was a scary thought, but Link couldn’t help but feel proud when he heard the number. No wonder the baby had been so hard to bring into the world.

When they were finally home again and Link was resting against Rhett’s chest in bed with baby Luke nursing in his arms, he admitted that he was worried Rhett would think he was weak for not being able to do it all on his own.

Rhett shook his head. “No, Link. You’re the strongest person I know. Having babies isn’t for the weak. Besides, I only helped a little. You did all the hard work and I’m so proud of you. Just promise me that you’ll never do that to me again. I was so scared when I found you passed out on the floor covered in blood. I don’t think I’ll ever get the image of you like that out of my head. If you ever want to have a home birth, let me know and we can hire a midwife. No surprises, no matter how tired I am.”

“No surprises, I promise. I’m sorry,” Link said, and he meant it. He would feel guilty for scaring Rhett and the kids for a long time too. He pulled Rhett’s face down to his for a kiss, pleased to know that Rhett was proud of him despite everything. “Love you so much.”

“Love you too, baby.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, a huge thank you to rhettandtwink for encouraging me, inspiring me, and being the best brainstorming partner ever! I tried my best to include some of the details you wanted in this chapter. I hope you like it! 🤗


	4. Life Works Better Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link is pregnant with his first baby and feeling bad about himself. Worse, Rhett doesn’t seem to have time for him anymore. Can they navigate this challenge together?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think the tags already cover what you’ll find in this chapter, so there are no new ones this time. Warning: there is smut and another argument. We’re finally going back in time!
> 
> A big thanks goes to my creative director rhettandtwink as always! You are an amazing person and friend, incredibly creative, and I couldn’t have written any of these little fics without your help and support!
> 
> Also, if you haven’t already, please go read Nine and Counting here on AO3! It’s based on this series and is absolutely amazing! Please take time to read it and leave comments and kudos for the wonderful author.

Link didn’t know what made him pick up the gossip magazine. It usually wasn’t his kind of thing to read, and yet he found himself engrossed by one of the articles, reading page after page while he waited for his name to be called. It felt like the article had been written just for him. In fact, his eyes started to sting when he read a part written by a young woman who was just a few years older than him. All of the same signs that should have alerted her to the problem were now alerting Link. He wiped his eyes on his sleeve and tried to compose himself before he started bawling in the doctor’s office.

Rhett never wanted to do anything with him anymore. He came home after school and work, ate dinner, took a shower, and went to bed. It was the same way every night. He barely said two words to Link. They never went window shopping or for long rides to nowhere in the truck on the weekends anymore. It had been weeks since they had last had sex. Link looked down at his swollen middle. The answer seemed painfully obvious now. Rhett was disgusted by his pregnant body. He was eight months pregnant and growing rapidly. He felt like his body changed every day, and the changes must be even more obvious to Rhett. He scanned the article, hoping for some helpful tips, but the only advice offered seemed cliche and pointless. Talking to Rhett wouldn’t help.

He managed not to lose control of himself in the clinic and knowing that the baby was still doing well cheered him up for a moment, but when he got back to the apartment, he crawled into bed and cried. His life was nothing like he had expected ten months ago, when he and Rhett had gotten married. Back then, just weeks out of high school, they had had all kinds of plans for married life. They were going to dorm together and enjoy college life, while also getting married and starting a family. Their parents had doubted them, but it had seemed perfect to them both at the time. They had been dating for years after a lifetime of friendship, and Rhett had proposed just a few days after Link turned eighteen. They had always wanted a big family, so they had quickly gotten married and got started on trying to get pregnant too. At first, married life had been bliss. They were happy and in love, enjoying college together, and they celebrated when Link’s pregnancy test came back positive, but then things had taken a turn. Morning sickness turned out to be much more intense than Link had expected. He felt horrible all day long for weeks on end. He couldn’t concentrate on school through the nausea, and even the pills he had been given at the campus clinic hadn’t helped much. It had also come along with a condescending lecture about getting pregnant so young. Actually being pregnant made other things suddenly feel more real too. Having a baby in a dorm room would be almost impossible, especially because they had a third roommate. They ultimately decided that Link would drop out and stay home and they would rent a small apartment off campus. Unfortunately, that meant Rhett had to get a job to pay for it. Times were hard, but they had still been happy for a while. Now though, Link wasn’t sure he was happy. He was mostly just lonely.

He made himself get up to fix dinner. Cooking was still a struggle for him, but he had learned to make some simple meals. At least he didn’t want to throw up every time he smelled anything cooking anymore. He decided on pizza bread. It was a simple and cheap meal that he and Rhett both liked. They had come up with it together during their first week in the apartment. He made some toast and loaded it up with marinara sauce, cheese, onions and pepperoni. A quick trip under the broiler made it perfectly melted and crispy. He made a basic salad to go with it, knowing that getting in his vegetables was even more important while he was pregnant. He was just finishing it up when Rhett got home. “Hey, Rhett. How was your day?” he asked, and forced a smile. There was an ache deep inside of him and he longed to feel Rhett’s touch on his skin. Even a hug would be nice, but he resisted the urge to initiate one.

“Long,” Rhett replied as he dropped his backpack by the door and stretched, working out a kink in his spine. “What’s for dinner?”

Link sighed. “Just pizza bread and salad.” He sat Rhett’s plate down on the table and placed his own beside it. He sat down and looked up at Rhett. “I hope you like it.”

“Great. I’m going to watch t.v. while I eat,” Rhett said. He picked up his plate and walked over to the couch. He turned on the sports channel and started to eat. When he finished, he put his dishes in the sink and left for a shower without a word.

Link finished eating alone at the table and then did the dishes. Rhett was already asleep by the time he crawled under the covers. Link cried himself to sleep.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Link was looking through his closet for something that wouldn’t put too much pressure on his middle. He felt bloated and just plain big all over today. He really needed to go thrifting for some more maternity clothes, but Rhett hadn’t been able to give him his allowance this month. He hated to ask his mom for money, but he really needed clothes and she always wanted to help them. Maybe he would make a day out of it. Try everything on and keep himself occupied for a while. Maybe his mom would even want to go with him. He reached far into the back of his closet and sighed when his fingers met the silky material of his small lingerie collection. He pulled one out just for fun and held it up against his body. It was his fanciest one, a white number with a lace bra and panties. There was no way it would fit him now, but it brought back fond memories of their honeymoon. It had been short and local, just a few nights in a hotel with a pool and a hot tub, but they had had the time of their lives. Rhett had looked at him with love and desire back then.

He smiled just thinking about it. It was stupid, but he really wanted to try it on. Maybe it would help him connect to his old life in some way. He shimmied out of his pajamas and pulled the panties on, pleased that they fit okay down below his belly, just a little snug. The bra actually fit him better now that his breasts had grown. He really needed to start wearing one all the time for support. They were supposed to grow even more when his milk came in, but he couldn’t imagine how they could possibly get any bigger. It was the gauzy, sheer wrap that went over everything else that he was most worried about fitting. He slipped it on and was pleased to find that he could tie it under his breasts and leave the rest of it open, making plenty of room for his belly. He went into the bathroom and looked at himself in the mirror. It was a little bit small, but it was still cute. It accentuated his growing breasts and middle in a way that he actually kind of liked. He rubbed his hands over his belly, feeling himself. He still wasn’t really used to seeing himself look like this and sometimes it was hard to wrap his mind around the fact that there was actually another human being growing inside of him. His body was almost unrecognizable at this point. No wonder Rhett wasn’t interested. He’d liked Link’s body when it had been lithe and small, his hip bones jutting out and accentuating his tiny waist. Now he was soft and swollen everywhere, his waist long gone. He looked like an entirely different person. He couldn’t blame Rhett for being turned off by him. Link sighed and started to untie the bow under his breasts, ready to take it off.

He didn’t hear the door open or Rhett come in. All of a sudden, Rhett was right there behind him. “Honey, I'm home,” he said, laughing.

Link jumped and shrieked, spinning around to face him. “What the hell, Rhett? Why’d you have to scare me like that?”

“Sorry. Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. There’s a really bad storm rolling in, so classes were canceled for the rest of the day.” Rhett looked Link up and down. “You look pretty. What are you all dressed up for?”

“None of your business.” Link rolled his eyes. He turned away from Rhett and tried to cover up his bare middle, but it was useless. “I’ll change.”

“Hey, you don’t have to change.” Rhett touched Link’s shoulder, his fingers playing with the gauzy fabric.

“Yes, I do. You obviously don’t want to see me in this.” Link felt himself tear up. He knew he’d lose it completely if he met Rhett’s eyes, so he looked down at the ground. “Why don’t you go watch t.v. or something? Maybe you can catch the weather update. There’s leftovers in the fridge if you’re hungry.”

Rhett frowned down at him. “What’s wrong? I just walked in the door and you’re getting all upset. Did I do something wrong?”

“What do you think?” Link asked, his bottom lip quivering.

“I don’t know!” Rhett groaned. “All I know is that I got home early and thought maybe you would be happy to see me, but it seems like you just want to argue and cry instead. You never seem happy anymore.”

“I'm not,” Link admitted.

“Well, I’m not a mind reader, Link. If you’re having a problem, you have to tell me what it is.”

Link finally broke down, the tears he had been holding back finally free. “You never want to spend time with me anymore. You just come home, eat dinner and go to bed. You didn’t even ask about my doctor’s appointment yesterday. It was fine, by the way.” Link wiped his eyes, but it was pointless because he couldn’t stop crying. “We used to do things together, go places on the weekends. At least eat dinner together. Now you’re in love with the t.v. and you haven’t even wanted to touch me in weeks. What am I supposed to think except that you’re disgusted by my body?”

Rhett looked stunned, his eyes wide. “You really think that? Oh, Link. I’m not disgusted by your body. I could never be.” Rhett stopped closer and squeezed his shoulder. “Your body is amazing.”

Link shook his hand away, the simple touch making him cry even harder. “Just stop.”

“Look, I’m just tired when I get home. I admit that I don’t always feel like talking or doing something after work. I just want to relax. And you’re always busy with housework or baby stuff anyway. I figured your appointment must have been fine or you’d have told me. That was wrong of me. I’m sorry. You know how much I care about you and the baby.” Rhett sighed. “And I know I we haven’t had sex in a while. I’m sorry about that too. I’m just so tired by the time I get home.”

“You’ve never been too tired for sex before,” Link said. He was trying to stay mad, but he felt himself already giving in to Rhett’s words.

“Well I’ve never been a full time college student and had a hard job at the same time before either. I’m bone tired. I feel like an old man. Even right now, if I closed my eyes for a second, I swear I’d fall asleep right where I stand. You know that’s not like me.”

Link looked, really looked at Rhett’s face for the first time in a long while. The dark circles and blotches, the unkempt hair and scraggly beard. His eyes looked so much older than his age. He really was exhausted. Link sighed. “You really are just tired, aren’t you? I know you’re busy with work and school. You’re working so hard to support us. I just let myself get caught up in my own head for a minute. I’m sorry.”

“No, you’re right. I have been neglecting you. I figured everything was fine and you were happy enough to have the house to care for. Thought you didn’t need me as much, but I see now that’s not true now. I miss you, Link, and you don’t deserve to feel like I don’t love you or want you, because I do. I’m sorry too.” He rubbed his hand over his face. “Let’s spend the afternoon together, no more fighting. Please, Link?”

“Yeah, okay,” Link agreed. He felt happiness blooming in his chest for the first time in weeks. “Just give me a minute to change.”

“Wait, let me see you first. This is what you wore on our wedding night. It still looks good on you.” Rhett walked around Link, drinking him in with his eyes. He placed one hand on either side of Link’s swollen belly and smiled up at Link. “Look at how big you’re getting. My gosh, Link.”

“I know. It’s all your fault.” Link smiled back.

“Pregnancy looks good on you. So sexy.” Rhett leaned close and whispered, “Bet I can still pick you up and carry you to bed.”

Link giggled. “Don’t hurt your back. And I don’t know about right now, anyway. I feel kind of grubby. I haven’t been able to reach my legs very well for a few weeks. They’re pretty hairy.”

“You think I care about a little leg hair?” Rhett stroked Link’s sides, making him giggle and squirm. “Come on. Let me show you how attracted I am to your body.”

Link felt himself responding to Rhett’s innocent touch. He was so desperate for affection that it didn’t take much to get him going, and he always seemed on edge with his pregnancy hormones fired up. He found himself laughing hysterically when Rhett picked him up and spun him around without effort. He wrapped his legs around Rhett’s hips and noticed that his round belly nestled between their bodies in a way that felt really nice, like an egg in a protective nest. He giggled the whole way across the bedroom and while Rhett gently laid him down on the bed and sat beside him, passing him a few pillows to use as support for his body.

“Look at you, bursting out of your clothes. Growing a baby for us just like you always wanted to.” Rhett leaned over to kiss Link. “I’m so proud of you. You look so good like this. So good.”

Link blushed and hummed. “You don’t think I look weird?”

“I think you look amazing. You’ve always been beautiful, but now? You’re stunning.” Rhett lied beside Link and kissed him, their lips meeting with soft smacks. “You look so good with my baby in you. I should have been telling you that every single day.”

Link sighed, but his breath disappeared when Rhett began to trail hot, wet kisses down his neck and across his chest. “They’re really sensitive,” he warned, when Rhett went to cup one of his breasts through his bra. They had grown a lot in the last month and touch could be painful.

Rhett was gentle, teasing him through the fabric. “They’re amazing too. Want to take this off?”

Link almost purred while Rhett removed him from his lingerie. His body was so ready, so eager. Desperate for the touch he had missed for so long. He made sure Rhett knew it when he slipped his panties down, wiggling his hips seductively. Rhett ran his hands over his sides and teased his hip bones with his thumbs. There was some padding there now that hadn’t existed even just a few weeks ago, but it still felt achingly good, and Link arched up into Rhett’s hands, wanting more. “Rhett,” he whined. “C’mon.”

“Shh, let me take my time,” Rhett said, his thumbs still working their magic on Link’s hips. “I just want to look at you for a minute. You’re so beautiful, everything about you glows. Look at you, so perfect and pregnant, all mine. How did I go so long without having your body? It’s like going without water.”

Link sighed as Rhett began to stroke the insides of his thighs, coaxing them to fall open. His delicate touch made goosebumps spread across Link’s skin and he shuddered when Rhett’s fingers brushed against his hole. Rhett teased him for a moment before trailing his hands back up Link’s sides and across his swollen belly, leaning down to kiss his lips as he brushed his fingers against Link’s oversensitive breast. “I love you.”

“Love you too, Rhett,” Link answered, and whined when Rhett pulled away and stood up. But it was only for a moment, Rhett shedding his clothes and grabbing the lube, and then he was back, his body pressed against Link and his fingers pressing right where Link needed them the most. He closed his eyes and savored the feeling of Rhett slipping two fingers inside him and working him until he felt right on the edge of release. Link ground against Rhett's fingers as much as he could, almost there but desperate for something more. “Need you,” he panted.

“Ready, baby?” Rhett asked. He smeared more lube on Link’s hole and leaned back to coat his own cock.

“Oh, please hurry,” Link answered, curling his toes in anticipation. He was so ready for this. He had been craving it for ages.

“Told you I’m taking my time,” Rhett answered. Still, he wasted no more time and pushed in slowly. Link groaned at the familiar pressure, the stretch on the delicious border of pain and pleasure, until Rhett bottomed out. He gave Link a minute to adjust and then they found a rhythm together. Rhett’s thrusts hit the perfect spot inside Link that made him tremble and moan in ecstasy. Rhett answered with desperate sounds of his own as Link began to pulse and shake around him. A few more thrusts and they tumbled over the edge together, both breathing hard. Link looked at Rhett and found him looking back with such adoration and love on his face that Link blushed from head to toe. He pulled Rhett down beside him and wrapped him in a hug, never wanting the moment to end.

The storm had blown in by the time they finished getting cleaned up, thunderclaps echoing in the distance. Link lay sated and sleepy, curled up against Rhett with his head cradled in the crook of his arm. “It’s raining,” he murmured against Rhett’s skin.

“Yeah. It’s supposed to storm all day and night.” Rhett traced shapes on Link’s belly, writing secret messages to their baby. “I guess we can’t go out and do anything.”

“That’s okay. I’m happy just to lie here with you like this.” Link sighed and relaxed even more. “It’s been so long since we last did this.”

“I know. I’ll try to do better,” Rhett promised.

Link shook his head. “I know you’re pushing yourself so hard for me and the baby. I need to be more patient. I’ve got to take care of my hubby too.”

“Oh, you take good care of me. Always making my meals and keeping the house clean. Growing a whole baby for me. What more could I ask? You’re such a good little househusband.” Rhett continued drawing on his skin, laughing softly.

Link laughed at the word too, but he couldn’t help but feel proud. He was working hard for their family too, even if it was in a different way from Rhett. “Thanks. I just wish we got to spend more time together.”

“Me too. I’ll try my best to make more time for you. We can start eating dinner together again for sure.” Rhett paused. “Oh, and I got a gift card at work yesterday. Shaun gave it to me when he heard we were having a baby. It’s one of those kinds that you can use anywhere just like a credit card.”

“Oh, yeah? That was nice of him,” Link said. “I’m sure it will help with groceries. You’ll have to tell him I said thanks.”

“Actually, I was thinking I might use it for something else. How would you feel about a spa day?” Rhett asked.

Link shook his head. “Oh, I’d love to, but we need the money. Aren’t groceries more important?”

“I think we can get by with what we have for now. Besides, a month from now, we’ll be parents. I think you deserve a little pampering before you have the baby.” Rhett wrapped Link in his arms and snuggled closer, his breath warm against Link’s face. “Just let me treat you this once, baby, please.”

“If you’re sure,” Link agreed. He kissed Rhett’s collarbone and nuzzled the soft skin there. He felt comfortable and loved, and he just wanted to lie there and bask in his emotions forever. By the time he thought to say anything else, Rhett was fast asleep. He really was exhausted. “Sleep tight,” Link whispered and closed his own eyes for a nap.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  


Link felt light and happy when he got home from the spa. He was eager to tell Rhett all about it. He found him on the couch. “I had the best time,” he gushed, as he sat down. “I got a facial and a manicure, oh, and I got my legs waxed. It feels so good to be smooth again.” He rubbed one foot against the opposite leg, feeling his hairless, soft skin. “Thank you so much for the gift card, Rhett. It was wonderful.”

“I’m glad you enjoyed it,” Rhett said, smiling at Link. “You had enough to cover everything, right?”

“Oh yeah. And look,” Link leaned back against the couch and put his swollen feet in Rhett’s lap with a grunt of effort. “I got a pedicure too.”

Rhett looked. “Oh, light pink. Pretty. I like it.”

“Thanks. Me too! My feet are pretty tired though. I was on them an awful lot today,” Link said. It was true. Between thrifting with his mom in the morning and going for a walk in the afternoon, his feet were throbbing. The pedicure had helped some, but he hadn’t been able to afford the one that included a foot massage. “Hey, do you know what would make this day even better?”

“What?” Rhett asked with a laugh, already knowing what was coming.

“Foot rub,” Link said, wiggling his pretty pink toes. “Please, Rhett?”

“Fine, fine. The things you make me do,” Rhett grumbled, but he smiled as he took Link’s left foot into his big hands, kneading and massaging his arches and puffy ankles. Link sighed and leaned back, relaxing into his husband’s touch.

“Feels so good,” he said after a few minutes, almost drooling.

“You need to stay off your feet and rest more, baby. You’re so swollen.” Rhett continued his massage, hitting all of the sore and tired places on Link’s foot. After a few minutes, he sat his foot back down on his lap and leaned back. “There you go. All done.”

“Uh, Rhett?” Link frowned. He wiggled the toes on his right foot. “You forget something?”

“Nope. You asked for a foot rub. Not a feet rub.” Rhett threw back his head and laughed. “You have to be specific when you ask me for something.”

Link rolled his eyes and pouted, annoyed when Rhett had the gall to laugh even harder at his expression. “You’re really going to do me like that while I’m sitting here pregnant with your baby? Really, Rhett?”

“Just wanted to see you pout, is all. You’re cute when you’re mad,” Rhett said, and laughed some more, but he sombered quickly and got started on Link’s neglected right foot. “Oh, you know I’d never do that to you for real.”

“You’re just lucky I love you so much, you jerk,” Link said, and shook his head. He leaned back and relaxed, knowing that Rhett loved him too. Their life wasn’t always easy, but it was theirs, and Link was happy to be going through it with Rhett by his side.


End file.
